The Durant City Council awarded a bid in association with the South Ninth flyover project Friday during a special meeting.

Council members awarded a bid from W. Brown Enterprises, Durant, in the amount of $151,314.24 for engineering, material, permits and labor for relocating water and sewer lines on South Ninth Avenue.

According to documents, three bids were received, and the engineer’s estimate for the water line relocation was $224,725.36. W. Brown Enterprises was the lowest bidder.

Assistant City Manager Ralph Houser said the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, who is spearheading the flyover project, will reimburse the city for this fee.

The planned flyover will branch off South Ninth Avenue and loop around into Highway 75, Houser said, which will help alleviate traffic.

The council also approved financing for the police department’s Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management and upgraded 911 telephony equipment.

The equipment, which will cost $215,171, will be financed through First United Bank and Trust for three years with an interest rate of 4.58.

Deputy Chief David Houser said funds for the CAD and Records Management system will come from the city budget. The 911 telephone equipment will be funded with money received from 911 telephone taxes.

Council members also authorized the city to join and use additional “buy boards,” in order to receive the best possible deals on equipment for the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation community center and library. The city will not be charged for membership to the two organizations.

In a memorandum, Ralph Houser said the “buy boards” — uscommunities.org and gsa.gov — offer low pricing for furniture, fixtures and equipment based on items recommended for the facility. They also offer pre-negotiated low prices.

City Attorney Pat Phelps said the buy boards would save the city time and energy, and are good to use when items are needed quickly.

The city council also discussed the adoption of a job description and pay grade for a new position, the director of technical projects.

City Manager James Dunegan said the position was created because the city has a lot of projects and workers are spread pretty thin. The position could also save the city a lot of money because projects would have more oversight.

According to a memorandum, “the position will not add to city headcount, nor will budget expansion be required.”

The director of technical projects would coordinate design, bidding, construction and financial accounting for city projects.

Council member Bobby Story said he liked the idea and made a motion to approve the position’s creation. The measure was unanimously approved.